Shank-stiffener machine



W. H. NICKERSON SHANK STIFFENER MACHINE July 20 Q1926. 1,593,350

Filed July 9 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 20 1926. 1,593,350

W. H. NCKERSON SHNK STIFFENER MACHINE Filed July 9. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l xmmmmumin:

'y M n Patented .uy Y20, 1.926%.

UNITED sTATEs WILLIAM H. NICKERSON; OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHANK-STIFFENER MACHINE.

Y Application nieu Juiy e, 1925. seriai- No. 42,455.

invention relates to mechanism' for formingk shore shank stiifeners from strips ofY Vindeterminate length, the stieners having integral prongsat their opposite ends.

V.The invention is embodied in the improved forming and pronging means hereinafter described. Y Y

Of the accompanying drawings forming a partl of this specification,-

Figure l shows in vertical section` the elements in which my invention is embodied, said elements including forming dies acting on a portion of a strip to impart thereto a curved and ribbed form, and punching dies adapted to sever each formed portion from the strip and at the same time form prongs on .the severed portion and onthe strip.

Figure 2 is a top plan viewV showing the lower forming die and the lower punch die.

Figure 3'is a bottom planview showing ghe upper forming die and the upper punch Figure 4 is a section on line 1 -4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a `section on lineY 5 5 of Figure l.

.Figure 6 is a section on line6-6 of Figure 5, showing the members `of the upper punch die in section, and an end view of the lower punch die, thek stripbeing shown by dotted lines. y

Figure 7 is an isometric view showing the punch dies separated and port-ions of the strip after it has been severed and provided with prongs.

FigurepS is a fragmentary perspective sectional view showing a portion of the upper punch die.

Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary perspectiveviews illustrating the operation of severing and pronging the strip.

Figure 11 shows in perspective a blank removed from the strip during the punching and pronging operation.

Figure V12 is a perspective view showing a f completed stiifener.

The same reference characters indicate the i same parts in all of the figures.

12 designates a base fixed to a press bed 13. Fixed by screws A14; to the base is a lower forming die 15 having a curved longitudinal embossing rib 16, and curved forming faces ing a curved longituolinalL groove 19, and

curved forming faces 2O at opposite sides of the groove. The upper die is fixed by screws 21 to a head 22 which is secured by screws 23 (Figure 4) to a vertically reciprocating press member 24. The forming portions 16 and 17 of the lower die have a reentrant curvature, and the forming portions 19 and 20 of the upper die have a salient curvature, the dies being adapted to form, on a sheet metal strip interposed between them, the curved portion having the curvedV rib and the laterall iianges26 shown by Figure 12. The forming dies have flat Mend faces27 which contact with portions of the strip so that flat portions 28 are left on the strip, from which the prongs 29 are'formed by the punching dies as hereinafter described.

The strip is fed into the machine in the direction of the arrow (Figure l) by feed rolls 61, which are rotated intermittently by suitable automatic mechanism (not Shown) and feed the strip a distance corresponding to the length of a stiffener when the dies are separated, and remain at rest while the dies are operating.

Fixed to the base 12 at one end of the lower forming die is a lower punch die block 30 (Figure 7 having an opening 31. An upstanding lower punch die 32 is fixed to the block between the ends of the opening 31, and projects above the upper face of the block. The die 32 is hexagonal and the intersection of its side faces with its upper end face forms a cutting edge of hexagonal contour, and including two salient portions 33 and two intermediate portions 34, said portions being relatively arranged as shown by Figure 7. The opening 31 is provided with recesses 35 in its opposite sides into which the prongs 29 are bentl as shown by Figure 7 and as hereinafter described.

Fixed to the head 22 at (me end ofthe upper forming die is an upper punch die block 36 having a hexagonal opening 37 (Figure- 7) formed to receive the lower punch die 32. On the lowerside of the block 36 are projections 38 constituting punch die members adapted to enter the opening 31 of the lower die block 30 at opposite sides ot the fixed upstanding die By reference to Figures 'T and S. it will be seen that the die members 3S have reentrant cutting edges 39 Ytermed by the intersection ot the faces 40 ot the hexagonal opening 3T with the bottom faces o'tl said members. lt will also be seen that the intersection ot the Jfaces 4l ot the opening 3T with the bottom face of the die block 36 Yforms cutting edges 42 located above the reentrant cutting edges 39. The arrangement is such that when the die block 36 descends the reentrant cutting edges 39 cooperate with the salient cutting edge portions ot the iixed die 32, and the cutting edges 42 cooperate with the cutting edge portions Si oty the fixed die in transverseljT severing a Hat strip portion '2S bearing on the fixed die. b v detaching therefrom a hexagonal blank Ali (Figure 11). This operation severs the strip in such manner that the severed ends have the taces 45, -t and 46 shown 'by Figure 9. The edges 45 are formed during the tirst part ot the cutting action and constitute the inner edges ot the prongs, which are bent downward into the. recesses 33 as shown bv Figure T by the descent of the die block 36. The edges lo are `formed just before the block 36 reaches the lower extreme ot its movement. It will now be seen that `during each descent of the die block 36, a flat portion of the strip is severed and pronged at the points where it is severed, resulting in bi-pronged ends of two stitfeners having flat portions between the formed portions and the prongs. The blanks 44 pass upward through the opening 37 in the die block 3G, and through openings 4S and 49 (Figure 5) formed in the head 22 andfpress member 9A.

After each feed movement 'ot the strip, the descent of the press member Q4 causes the'fdescribed `formation ot the strip portion between the forming dies, and the severance of a previously formed portion b v the punching dies. the latter acting to prong the ,leading end ot the strip and the rear end ot' the severed portion, which is thus converted into the completed stitlener shown by Figure l2.

After each forming and punching operation, the strip is raised from the lower torming die, and the completed stii'lener is raised romthe fixed die block 30 bv spring-pressed lifting pins 50 movable in guides in the lower forming die and the base l2 and bearing on the under side. ot the strip, and a spring-pressed lifting pin l movable in a guide in the die block 30 and in the base and bearing on the under side ot' the completed stitl'ener.

Edgewise displacement ot the strip is prevented bv edge guides toi-med by plates lixedly connected with the base and having slots 5l, the sides of which constitute the edge guides.

The cutting edges which slit the strip to partially sever the prongs therefrom, are arranged to impart prongs enabling the same to be easily driven, each prong being verv narrow at its base portion and tapering therefrom to its point.

I claim:

l. Slianlstiileiier forming mechanism comprising -a Vfixed base a reciprocating` head movable toward and from the base, a pair ot forming dies-including a lower die fixed to the base and a complemental die fixed to the head, the diesbeing formed to longitudinally curve and emboss a portion of an elongated stitener strip and leave flat portions at opposite ends of the curved and einbossed portions,v and strip-severing and pronging mechanism arranged to act on a fiat portion of' the strip in advance of a Yformed portion thereof, said mechanism including means tor cutting,'tro1n'the flat portion a polygonal blank, and therebjv forming an opening extending from edge to edge ot the flat portion, so that the latter is transversely severed, portions of the margin of said opening 1defining the inner edges of four prongs, means being` provided for simul taneously bending said prongs from the plane of theftlat portion, so that'bi-pronged ends of two stiffeners are simultaneousl)v formed`A said stitleners having yflat portions between the formed portions and the prongs.

2. Shank-stiiener yforming mechanism comprising a l'ixed base, a reciprocating head movable toward and 'trom the base` a pair of forming dies including a lower 'die'iixed to the base and a eomplemental die fixed to the head, the dies being formed to longitudinally curve and einboss a portion of yan elongated stiffener strip and leave flat portions at opposite ends ofthe curved and embossed portions, and strip-severing and pronging mechanism arranged to act on a flat portion of the strip in advance of a formed portion thereof, said mechanism including a lixed punch die block on the'base at one end of the lower forming die, arranged to'bear on the underside ot1 atlat portion of the strip and-provided with an `opening, a tixed upstanding die extending through said opening and provided with a cutting edge ot substantially hexagonal contour projecting above the die block, anda reciprocating die block on 'the head provided with downwardlv projecting die niembers adapted to enter the opening in the fixed die block, said reciprocating block having reentrant cutting edges cooperatingwith portions ot the said hexagonal cutting edge. and intermediate cutting edges cooperating with other portions ot' the hexagonal cutting edge, the said cutting edges being arranged to sever ya substantialljv hexaga tack-like 'lorm to the onal blank from a fiat portion of the strip between two formed portions there- Vof and thereby separate a formed en'd portion from the strip and simultaneous- 1y form the inner edges of two pairs of prongs, the die blocks having means for simultaneously bending said prongs from the plane of the Hat portion, so that bipronged ends of two stieners are simu]- taneously formed, said stieners having flat 10 portions between the prongs and the formed portions.

In testimony whereof I have axed my signature.

WILLIAM H. NICKERSON. 

